5-Day Guilin & Yangshuo Itinerary 2026: Li River, Karst Peaks, and Longji Rice Terraces
Five days through Guilin and Yangshuo: Li River cruise, Reed Flute Cave, Longji Rice Terraces, and the karst mountain bike loop.
Quick Answer
What is this 5-day itinerary like?
This 5-day itinerary covers 3 UNESCO sites, involves 18 km of walking, and offers a total cost of $1,000.
Day by day
Book this trip →Guilin and Yangshuo are China's most well-known landscape — limestone karst peaks rising from flat rice paddies, bamboo rafts on the Li River, and old villages. Five days is right. Day 1: arrive, Two Rivers Four Lakes walking. Day 2: Li River cruise to Yangshuo (4 hours, the highlight). Day 3: Yangshuo countryside bike loop. Day 4: Longji Rice Terraces day trip. Day 5: Reed Flute Cave, depart. Budget ¥2,800–5,500 for the week depending on hotel and cruise tier.
Guilin arrival and city lakes
Arrive at Guilin Liangjiang Airport; airport bus or Didi to downtown (¥80, 45 min) · Check into hotel near Zhengyang Pedestrian Street · Afternoon: Two Rivers Four Lakes walking — see Sun and Moon Pagodas, glass bridges, and Shan Lake (¥160 combo ticket, 3 hours) · Evening: Zhengyang Pedestrian Street for local Guilin rice noodles (mifen)
- 09:00Arrive at Guilin Liangjiang Airport; airport bus or Didi to …
¥80, 45 min
- 11:00Check into hotel near Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
Check into hotel near Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
- 13:00Afternoon: Two Rivers Four Lakes walking
see Sun and Moon Pagodas, glass bridges, and Shan Lake ¥160 combo ticket, 3 hours
- 15:00Evening: Zhengyang Pedestrian Street for local Guilin rice n…
mifen
Li River cruise to Yangshuo
Departure: Guilin Zhujiang Wharf at 9:00am for the 4-hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo (¥450 second class, ¥600 first class) · Highlights: Xingping Ancient Town section (the ¥20 banknote view), Nine-Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal · Arrive Yangshuo around 1:30pm; check into hotel near West Street · Evening: West Street walking, beer at a foreigner-friendly pub, local beer fish (啤酒鱼) dinner
- 09:00Departure: Guilin Zhujiang Wharf at 9:00am for the 4
hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo ¥450 second class, ¥600 first class
- 11:00Highlights: Xingping Ancient Town section
the ¥20 banknote view), Nine Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal
- 13:00Arrive Yangshuo around 1:30pm; check into hotel near West St…
Arrive Yangshuo around 1:30pm; check into hotel near West Street
- 15:00Evening: West Street walking, beer at a foreigner
friendly pub, local beer fish 啤酒鱼) dinner
Yangshuo countryside bike loop
Morning: rent a bike (¥30/day) or e-scooter (¥80/day) for the Yulong River and Moon Hill loop (25 km) · Cross the Yulong River on a bamboo raft (¥200 per raft, 4 people) — most photogenic section · Lunch: rural farmhouse restaurant in Jiuxian village · Afternoon: Moon Hill climb (¥10) — 30 min to the top for karst panorama, or skip for the well-known photo from below · Evening: Impression Liu Sanjie light show on the Li River (¥260, directed by Zhang Yimou)
- 09:00Morning: rent a bike
¥30/day) or e scooter ¥80/day) for the Yulong River and Moon Hill loop 25 km
- 11:00Cross the Yulong River on a bamboo raft
¥200 per raft, 4 people) most photogenic section
- 13:00Lunch: rural farmhouse restaurant in Jiuxian village
Lunch: rural farmhouse restaurant in Jiuxian village
- 15:00Afternoon: Moon Hill climb
¥10) 30 min to the top for karst panorama, or skip for the well known photo from below
- 17:00Evening: Impression Liu Sanjie light show on the Li River
¥260, directed by Zhang Yimou
Longji Rice Terraces day trip
Morning: shuttle bus from Yangshuo to Longji (Ping'an) Rice Terraces (¥80, 2 hours) · Longji entrance (¥100) — hike the Ping'an or Dazhai village loop; allow 3–4 hours of walking · Lunch: Zhuang ethnic minority farmhouse meal — bamboo rice, smoked pork, fermented vegetables · Return to Yangshuo by late afternoon · Evening: rest day, massage at a Yangshuo spa (¥200/hour)
- 09:00Morning: shuttle bus from Yangshuo to Longji
Ping'an) Rice Terraces ¥80, 2 hours
- 11:00Longji entrance
¥100) hike the Ping'an or Dazhai village loop; allow 3 4 hours of walking
- 13:00Lunch: Zhuang ethnic minority farmhouse meal
bamboo rice, smoked pork, fermented vegetables
- 15:00Return to Yangshuo by late afternoon
Return to Yangshuo by late afternoon
- 17:00Evening: rest day, massage at a Yangshuo spa
¥200/hour
Reed Flute Cave and departure
Morning: bus back to Guilin (1.5 hours) · Reed Flute Cave (¥90) — 180-million-year-old limestone cave with colored lighting; allow 1.5 hours · Afternoon: depart from Guilin (flights or HSR to Hongqiao Shanghai, 8 hours, or Kunming, 5 hours)
- 09:00Morning: bus back to Guilin
1.5 hours
- 11:00Reed Flute Cave
¥90) 180 million year old limestone cave with colored lighting; allow 1.5 hours
- 13:00Afternoon: depart from Guilin
flights or HSR to Hongqiao Shanghai, 8 hours, or Kunming, 5 hours
Book this trip
All routes →Top sight tickets and any private drivers sell out first; everything else can wait until a week before.
If 5 days isn’t quite right
All routes →
Beijing essentials
Forbidden City · Great Wall · Temple of Heaven. For short stopovers.
Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai
Imperial, ancient, and modern China on one HSR loop.
Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Guilin → Shanghai
Adds Sichuan pandas and Li River karst.
Lock in the essentials before you fly
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Itinerary FAQ
How far in advance should I book the main sights?
Book the top restricted-access sight 7 days before, at midnight local time, via the official channel. Same-day tickets are not sold at most major sites.
Is 5 days too long for a first trip?
No — {n} days is the sweet spot. Three days covers the highlights but you will be exhausted. Five lets you add a day trip and an unhurried afternoon without rushing.
Can I do this itinerary without speaking Chinese?
Yes. Install Pleco (offline dictionary) and a translation app before you fly. Metro and attraction signage is in English in major cities; international-hotel staff speak English.
What's the worst time of year to run this exact route?
Golden Week (October 1–7) — every timed entry is impossible to get. Also avoid the Spring Festival rush (late Jan/Feb) and Labor Day (May 1–5). Mid-July to mid-August is hot and crowded with domestic travelers.
How much cash do I actually need?
Almost none. Alipay (linked to a foreign Visa/Mastercard) covers 95% of vendors. Carry ¥500–800 in cash as backup for small stalls. Tipping is not expected.
Is this route safe for solo travelers?
Yes. The main risk is traffic — e-bikes and scooters use sidewalks. Stay alert at intersections, especially outside Beijing/Shanghai where drivers may not stop. Solo female travelers report no issues.